Cub prospects in the news

[RammyFanny]

There's some rumblings from CCO that Junior Lake might even be bigger than 6'5 now.

Junior Lake appears to have grown even more this off-season. Lake is listed as being 6-foot-2 but he appears to have exceeded the reports of him being 6-foot-5 last year. Lake has outgrown shortstop, but looked very good at third base, and was able to show off his cannon of an arm during the game.

[Guest]

Cool piece on Baez by Wittenmyer. Even references the, "I'll do whatever the [expletive] I want," story.

 

http://www.suntimes.com/sports/baseball/cubs/18411586-573/shortstop-prospect-javy-baez-already-on-cubs-radar.html

[Guest]

I'm not a fan of Mike Scioscia as a manager, but he had some good things to say about our prospects...

 

http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/columnists/ct-spt-0224-rogers-cubs-chicago--20130224,0,6251067.column

 

It's going to be awhile before those guys are together at Wrigley, but probably not as long as the cautious Theo Epstein and Jed Hoyer want us to think.

 

The guess here is they all will be there by the second half of the 2014 season, and at that point we could be looking back on this spring as Blackhawks fans do the preseason in 2007 when Denis Savard gathered together Jonathan Toews, Patrick Kane and Patrick Sharp for the first time. The cast supplied around them — pitchers especially — will determine if they can win like Chicago's NHL franchise but engines are only as good as their pistons, and the Cubs have those.

 

"They have some guys with bat speed,'' Angels manager Mike Scioscia said. "You have rare talent when you have bat speed like that. You can see how much talent those guys have. But the way they just played this game, the way they ran the bases, carried themselves, that's impressive as well. … You're not always going to get these results, 11 runs a game, but you can see what they're starting over there.''

 

It was the old guy, 24-year-old Brett Jackson, whose two triples set the tone for this pounding of former Cub Jerome Williams and a blue-collar group of relievers. But the talking points came when manager Dale Sveum turned to his bench.

 

Soler pulled a two-run double down the left-field line off right-hander Robert Coello in the eighth inning, and Baez followed by crushing an opposite-field single. Lake added a ninth-inning cherry on top, hitting a homer onto the top of the left-field berm off Steven Geltz.

 

"You know what impressed me the most with those guys?'' Scioscia asked. "Their baserunning. Just looking at the way they got their secondary leads, the way they're aggressive. That was impressive. You like what they have been taught, and that they look like guys who can be taught … and they have really different bat speed.''

 

Scioscia's not Sparky Anderson. He does not gush, especially not about guys on other teams. But he was saying what a lot of other managers and general managers are going to be saying as the Cubs' 39-game match to opening day in Pittsburgh plays out.

 

Factor in Starlin Castro, Anthony Rizzo and the currently out-of-sight Albert Almora and Dan Vogelbach and the Cubs have one of the most impressive groups of 25-and-under hitters in baseball. The last time you could say that about them, they still had Rafael Palmeiro alongside Mark Grace, Shawon Dunston, Damon Berryhill and Davey Martinez.

 

Edited February 25, 2013 by David

[UMFan83]

Lol at first I thought that was Scioscia making the Blackhawks comparison.

 

Edit: and lol I had no idea Jerome Williams was still in baseball.

[Guest]

Some Vineline scouting reports - They're a little over a month old but I hadn't seen them posted. That Soler/Stanton comp got me a little too excited.

 

Candelario

http://vineline.mlblogs.com/2013/01/18/prospectus-preview-down-the-pipeline-jeimer-candelario/

 

IF | JEIMER CANDELARIO

Ht./Wt.: 6-1/180

B/T: S/R

Born: 11/24/93 in New York, N.Y.

Acquired: 2010 Non-Drafted Free Agent

Tools: HIT, POW

2012 STATS (Short-Season): .281 AVG/.345 OBP/.396 SLG (71 G)

 

Barely the age of the typical high school draft pick, the 18-year-old Candelario held his own against college-age competition in the Northwest League. He’s a big-framed, stocky kid who can really swing the stick, and he has a chance to be a special hitter. If you’re willing to spare the expectations, he’s a bit like Pablo Sandoval in that he’s a switch-hitter who hits for average, has man strength and will try to stick at third base. But Candelario’s defense needs work, as he battled inconsistency in the field for the Boise Hawks. Most promising may be his surprisingly advanced plate approach. He plays the game under control and with a real rhythm to his work in batting practice. He’s one to keep an eye on in his first year of full-season ball.*

 

Soler

 

http://vineline.mlblogs.com/2013/01/28/prospectus-preview-2012-international-jorge-soler/

OF | JORGE SOLER

Ht./Wt.: 6-3/205

B/T: R/R

Born: 2/25/92 in Havana, Cuba

Acquired: 2012 NDFA

Tools: Power, Arm, Speed

2012 STATS ®: .241/.328/.389 (14 G); (LoA): .338/.398/.513 (20)

 

Baseball people don’t often throw around 80s—as in “elite” on the 20-80 scouting scale—so it shouldn’t be taken lightly when McLeod slaps that grade on Soler’s raw power. Think Giancarlo Stanton in the tape-measure home run department. Soler pairs that with an impressive approach at the plate, which allowed him to excel at low Class-A Peoria. Soler profiles perfectly for right field, where he runs well and has a plus arm. It’s still early, so Cubs brass will hold their breath and hope the skills he’s shown hold up as he faces tougher pitching. Soler will be just 21 this season, but the Cubs aren’t going to be conservative with him—he’ll move as he proves he’s ready.

 

*Slash line includes AVG/OBP/SLG

 

I'll just link the others...

 

Nick Struck - http://vineline.mlblogs.com/2013/01/24/prospectus-preview-close-to-the-majors-nick-struck/

 

Barret Loux - http://vineline.mlblogs.com/2013/01/25/prospectus-preview-2012-tradesclaims-barret-loux/

 

Pierce Johnson - http://vineline.mlblogs.com/2013/01/30/prospectus-preview-2012-draft-pierce-johnson/

 

Robert Whitenack - http://vineline.mlblogs.com/2013/02/01/prospectus-preview-close-to-the-bigs-robert-whitenack/

 

Stephen Bruno - http://vineline.mlblogs.com/2013/02/06/prospectus-preview-2012-draft-class-stephen-bruno/

 

Hunter Cervenka - http://vineline.mlblogs.com/2013/02/08/prospectus-preview-2012-trades-and-claims-hunter-cervenka/

 

Dan Vogelbach - http://vineline.mlblogs.com/2013/02/12/prospectus-preview-down-the-pipeline-dan-vogelbach/

 

Tony Zych - http://vineline.mlblogs.com/2013/02/14/prospectus-preview-close-to-the-bigs-tony-zych/

 

Junior Lake - http://vineline.mlblogs.com/2013/02/21/prospectus-preview-close-to-the-bigs-junior-lake/

 

Matt Szczur - http://vineline.mlblogs.com/2013/02/22/prospectus-preview-close-to-the-majors-matt-szczur/

[Guest]

Andddd Rosenthal with a Soler piece

 

http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/story/chicago-cubs-hope-future-is-bright-with-likes-of-jorge-soler-022513

[Guest]

There's some rumblings from CCO that Junior Lake might even be bigger than 6'5 now.

Junior Lake appears to have grown even more this off-season. Lake is listed as being 6-foot-2 but he appears to have exceeded the reports of him being 6-foot-5 last year. Lake has outgrown shortstop, but looked very good at third base, and was able to show off his cannon of an arm during the game.

He has to learn to take pitches, but as is, he's a really nice trade chip.

[Cubswin11]

There's some rumblings from CCO that Junior Lake might even be bigger than 6'5 now.

Junior Lake appears to have grown even more this off-season. Lake is listed as being 6-foot-2 but he appears to have exceeded the reports of him being 6-foot-5 last year. Lake has outgrown shortstop, but looked very good at third base, and was able to show off his cannon of an arm during the game.

He has to learn to take pitches, but as is, he's a really nice trade chip.

I wouldn't be surprised if he's ahead of Vitters for the first guy up from AAA to play 3B if/when Steart/Valbuena get hurt or aren't playing well. I like his potential to be a supersub type guy for us as soon as sometime this year.

[davell]

If there's ever a guy that'll need an adjustment period from the minors to MLB, it's probably Lake. Personally, I hope he rakes in AAA and we trade him.

[Cubswin11]

If there's ever a guy that'll need an adjustment period from the minors to MLB, it's probably Lake. Personally, I hope he rakes in AAA and we trade him.

I'm still intrigued with his pitching potential, especially now that he's 6'5". If he can't figure it out offensively over the next 1 1/2-2 years between AAA/MLB I hope they move him to the mound then. I think he will stick as a position/utility player though.

[toonsterwu]

There might be a WBC thread that I haven't looked for, but the last two nights, have watched a former Cubs farmhand and a current. Hung-Wen Chen's command was far sharper than I thought, but his fastball is still around 86-88. Just never had enough juice on it, and he was acting as the closer yesterday.

 

* I wonder if their gun is shaky. Chen is pitching today, and he's hitting 91 fairly consistently. I guess the 86-88 could be some sort of off-speed pitch, though it didn't look like it yesterday.

 

Yao-lin Wang got the start tonight, but after getting the first 4 outs, he walked three and was pulled. A bad day at the office, but I've always wondered how quality his breaking ball would be against tougher competition, and it didn't look good. Looked like he had some sort of splitter/change-up that lacked much action on it.

[woodchip2153]

Fangraphs wrtie up on Soler

 

http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/index.php/jorge-soler-baseballs-next-big-propsect/

[Warpticon]

Fangraphs wrtie up on Soler

 

http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/index.php/jorge-soler-baseballs-next-big-propsect/

 

propsect.

[Cubswin11]

Fangraphs wrtie up on Soler

 

http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/index.php/jorge-soler-baseballs-next-big-propsect/

 

propsect.

Soler is a transcendent prospect he is literally going to change the spelling of it

[Hairyducked Idiot]

Just be like the cool kids and call 'em "specs."

[davell]

Anyone got Insider? Curious what Law thinks of Bretts' new swing?

[Guest]

Anyone got Insider? Curious what Law thinks of Bretts' new swing?

 

I saw a little bit of Jackson's swing Sunday afternoon, and while it is different, I'm not sure how it's going to be better, especially for making contact.

 

He goes into some more detail, but the gist is his stride is longer now and it's leading to an unnaturally longer swing.

[davell]

Thanks TT. Oh well, I respect Law, was hoping for a positive review. Hope he's wrong.

[Guest]

In today's Ask BA Jim Callis was asked to predict his 2014 top 10 prospects in baseball. Here's what he came up with:

 

1. Jose Fernandez, rhp, Marlins

2. Xander Bogaerts, ss, Red Sox

3. Javier Baez, ss, Cubs

4. Christian Yelich, of, Marlins

5. Byron Buxton, of, Twins

6. Carlos Correa, ss, Astros

7. Miguel Sano, 3b, Twins

8. Taijuan Walker, rhp, Mariners

9. Kevin Gausman, rhp, Orioles

10. Kyle Zimmer, rhp, Royals

 

When a Pirates fan asked if any other team would have more top 100 prospects in 2014. Callis said yes and the Cubs were amongst those teams he thought would have more:

 

However, I see five other organizations who are better bets to have seven Top 100 Prospects next spring. Ranking them in order:

 

4. Cubs. They should get all four of their Top 100 guys (Baez, outfielders Albert Almora and Jorge Soler, righthander Arodys Vizcaino) back on the next list, righty Pierce Johnson and first baseman Dan Vogelach could make the leap and the No. 2 overall pick also will come aboard.

[Guest]

That's 7 potential top 100s next year without making too much of a crazy leap. I think it's very possible Paniagua could make it onto that list. Candelario, too.

[craig]

Fair chance that Vizcaino doesn't. He might come back well enough and fast enough so that he has too much big-league time. Or he might have enough health/arm/control problems that he isn't top-100 anymore.

[davell]

Not to mention, a midseason trade or two could bring in even more. Personally, I think Vizcaino will lose his eligibility. But, the big 3 and Vogelbach seem pretty likely, along with the 2nd pick. Then we'll have Johnson, Paniagua, Candelario, Alcantara, Villanueva, maybe even Maples or Underwood, that all have at least a small chance. Feel pretty good about getting one or two of those guys on it by next year.

[Guest]

Isn't the most likely scenario for Vizcaino that he spends the season starting in AAA (at some point) with, maybe, a late season call up, until he hits an innings limit?

 

Unless he's absolutely horrid beyond belief at Iowa, I can't see him losing top 100 status if it plays out that way.

[Hairyducked Idiot]

I'll take the under on 7. The big three are near locks unless one of them can't handle breaking balls, and the No. 2 overall pick is of course a lock

 

After that, I'd say Vogelbach is 70/30 to make it.

 

Vizcaino I'd say is 50/50 even if he's eligible and healthy. He was at No. 83 before getting hurt, and now there are even bigger questions about his ability to stick as a starter.

 

No one else is even 50/50 imo.

[Guest]

I'll take the under on 7. The big three are near locks unless one of them can't handle breaking balls, and the No. 2 overall pick is of course a lock

 

After that, I'd say Vogelbach is 70/30 to make it.

 

Vizcaino I'd say is 50/50 even if he's eligible and healthy. He was at No. 83 before getting hurt, and now there are even bigger questions about his ability to stick as a starter.

 

No one else is even 50/50 imo.

 

I suppose a lot of that depends on which list we're talking about.

 

In this case, yea, BA is being directly referenced, so the fact that a guy who has a lot of say in how that list ends up looking thinks Vizcaino is a near lock and thinks Johnson has a real shot at making the leap probably means something.